Electrical connector

Details Electrical connector Electrical connector

1999-09-01

2001-10-02

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With guiding means for mating of coupling part

For guiding side of movable panel, e.g., circuit board

C439S637000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06296511

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card edge connector, and especially to a card edge connector which forms a positioning mechanism for limiting transverse movement of an inserted card in the card edge connector.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,511,985; 5,676,555; and 5,690,499 and Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 81110052 and 84209392 disclose connectors each comprising an insulative housing defining a plurality of contact receiving cavities and a slot, a plurality of contacts, each having an engaging portion and a mounting portion, received in the cavities of the housing, and a pair of card ejector mechanisms. The housing is divided into a first part and a second part by the slot. Each part has a face from which the engaging portions of the contacts extend. The card ejector mechanisms are pivotally attached to opposite ends of the housing. When a card formed with a plurality of gold fingers on an edge thereof is inserted into the connector, the card ejector mechanisms retain the card in the slot such that the gold fingers connect with the engaging portions of the contacts. However, the slot usually has a greater dimension than a thickness of the card for facilitating insertion of the card. Thus, the edge with the gold fingers formed thereon is merely retained in the slot by the engaging portions of the contacts pressing against opposite surfaces thereof. The edge of the card is movable in the slot along a transverse direction of the housing because the contacts are made with different sizes and each contact exerts a different force on the edge of the card. The card tends to move within the slot due to shaking and vibration. Thus, the engaging portions of some of the contacts may temporarily disengaged from the gold fingers whereby intermittent signal transmission results. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a connector comprising a housing having a retention mechanism in a periphery of a slot defined in the housing to securely retain an edge of a card in the slot and to ensure electrical connection between contacts of the connector and gold fingers formed on the edge of the card.
Accordingly, an electrical connector for electrically connecting a card to a printed circuit board in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a number of contacts and a pair of board locks received in the housing, and a pair of card ejector mechanisms pivotally mounted in opposite ends of the housing. The housing defines a slot which divides a middle section thereof into a first part and a second part. The first and second parts each defines a number of cavities in which the contacts are received. The first and second parts each provides a number of projections extending beyond an inner wall thereof. A gap equaling a thickness of a daughter card is defined between the projections of the first and second parts. Accordingly, the first and second projections on the first and second parts abut against opposite surfaces of the daughter card thereby securely positioning the daughter card in the housing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5433616 (1995-07-01), Walden
patent: 5511985 (1996-04-01), Noschese et al.
patent: 5542854 (1996-08-01), Bowen
patent: 5676555 (1997-10-01), Yu et al.
patent: 5690499 (1997-11-01), Howell et al.

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